-
Risk Marches On | April 27, 2015 | Weekly Market Commentary
Investors continued to embrace risk this past week as the Nasdaq reached a new high while peripheral European bonds and emerging market equities rallied.
-
A Weak Week? | Weekly Economic Commentary | April 27, 2015
First quarter economic weakness will likely get plenty of attention this week, when the initial estimate of Q1 2015 GDP is expected to confirm tepid growth during the quarter.
-
Portfolio Compass | Week of April 20, 2015
COMPASS CHANGES Downgraded agricultural commodities to negative/neutral from neutral. INVESTMENT TAKEAWAYS We forecast high-single-digit S&P 500 returns in 2015, supported by earnings, though the strong U.S. dollar and energy drags make the lower end of our 5-10% earnings growth forecast more likely.* We continue to favor U.S. equities, but have become less negative on developed…
-
Bond Market Perspectives | Week of April 20, 2015
KEY TAKEAWAYS Foreign buying of U.S. bonds has slowed over recent years but remains a firm source of demand in the domestic bond market. Foreign purchases are likely to continue to take a backseat to economic growth and Federal Reserve interest rate expectations as a driver of bond prices and yields. FOREIGN FACTORS Gauging foreign…
-
Weekly Market Commentary | Week of April 20, 2015
KEY TAKEAWAYS The Russell 2000 Index hit a fresh all-time high last week (on tax day, April 15, 2015) and has outpaced large caps by 205 basis points (2.05%) year to date. Although valuations are on the high side, the factors that have driven recent small cap strength, in our view, remain largely intact. Small…
-
Weekly Economic Commentary | Week of April 20, 2015
KEY TAKEAWAYS The latest Beige Book suggests that the U.S. economy is still growing at a pace that is at or above its long-term trend, and that some upward pressure on wages is beginning to emerge. Optimism regarding the economic outlook far outweighed pessimism throughout the Beige Book as it has for the past two…